NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Kia Amanti Recalls & Complaints

The 2009 Kia Amanti has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Kia Amanti. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2009 Kia Amanti owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Kia Amanti, describing incidents dated July 9, 2011 to November 16, 2022.

Most-cited components

Vehicle Speed Control 2 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Visibility/Wiper 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11504280 · Filed January 29, 2023
When pulling into a parking spot and with my foot on the break, the car suddenly accelerated. The car did not react to my breaking. The car kept moving forward over a sidewalk, over the curb on the street, into the back end of a pickup parked on the road I was facing, and started heading across the…
ODI #10906365 · Filed September 14, 2016
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH RECALL NUMBER 13V114000 WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE ON DEC.5, 2014. 52098 MILES. ON JUNE 22, 2016 THE SWITCH FAILED WITH 66,219 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN STORAGE UNTIL SEPT. 12, 2016 WITH 66,219 MILES. I HAD IT TOWED TO EARNHART KIA BY AAA. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACE FOR $239.42. THEY…
ODI #10569226 · Filed March 13, 2014
WHILE TRAVELING ON AN EXPRESSWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH IN APPROXIMATELY 65 DEGREE SUNNY WEATHER I FELT A HUGE EXPLOSION AND FIRST THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT OR THAT A HUGE ROCK HAD BOUNCED AND HIT ME. IT FELT SO STRONG THAT I THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN A NEARBY BOMB EXPLOSION OR DYNAMITE BLAST, WHEN I…

Read all 4 complaints

Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently

NHTSA #13V114000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported April 1, 2013 · Kia Motors Corporation

Potentially affected: 980,377 vehicles

Kia campaign SC098 · Owners notified April 19, 2013 · Vehicles built November 21, 2006 – June 2, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Safety consequence

Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2009 Kia Amanti 4-DR w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Kia Amanti.

Electrical System; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11504280

Crash

Incident: November 16, 2022 · Filed: January 29, 2023

When pulling into a parking spot and with my foot on the break, the car suddenly accelerated. The car did not react to my breaking. The car kept moving forward over a sidewalk, over the curb on the street, into the back end of a pickup parked on the road I was facing, and started heading across the street toward another parked truck. Luckily there was no one on the sidewalk, no one was hurt. This has not happened before or since. No warning signs. When I took the car in to get an alternator replaced, the initial shop said they could not fix it bacause of codes that came up concerning the electrical system. I then had the car towed to a Kia dealer. They fixed the alternator but never mentioned the other codes. Suspecious.

Service Brakes

ODI #10906365

Incident: June 22, 2016 · Filed: September 14, 2016

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH RECALL NUMBER 13V114000 WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE ON DEC.5, 2014. 52098 MILES. ON JUNE 22, 2016 THE SWITCH FAILED WITH 66,219 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN STORAGE UNTIL SEPT. 12, 2016 WITH 66,219 MILES. I HAD IT TOWED TO EARNHART KIA BY AAA. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACE FOR $239.42. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF TIME AND MILEAGE. I CALLED KIA CASE #3274275. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THE SAME AS THE DEALER. MY GRIPE IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND KIA SHOULD REPLACE THE SWITCH AT NO OR VERY LITTLE COST I HAD NO WARNING THAT I HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS UNTIL I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SHOP BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. SOMEONE COULD HAVE HIT US WITHOUT BRAKES LIGHTS WORKING. THAT IS WHY WE HAD THE CAR TOWED. IT IS THE SAFETY THAT CONCERNS US!

Visibility

ODI #10569226

Incident: March 13, 2014 · Filed: March 13, 2014

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

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10411747

Incident: July 9, 2011 · Filed: July 11, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA AMANTI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. WITHIN APPROXIMATELY FORTY FIVE MINUTES THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,300. UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF

Other Kia Amanti model years

Check your 2009 Kia Amanti VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Amanti at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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